This month's edition features each team's ranking with a song reference that's relevant. Since it's December, I'll take a page out of the Counting Crow's and you can decide if it'll really be a LONG DECEMBER, with reason to believe that maybe next year will be better than the last. So without further ado, here are the 7 local sports teams starting with the most Optimistic to the most Miserable.GOPHERS BASKETBALL - "You're the Inspiration" - Chicago
Record: 9-1
Rankings: 20th ESPN/USA Today, 21st AP
The Gophers are off to one of their best records in years and with the lack of entertaining teams in the area, all eyes are aimed at the Barn where the Gophers hope to bring some glory back to the frozen north. They are THE best team in Minnesota that's currently in-season and for that are the inspiration that Minnesota sports fans desperately need. The team packs the most talented roster Tubby Smith has produced thus far. The starting 5 of Nolen, Joseph, Hoffarber, Mbakwe, and Sampson III have proved their worth in the non-conference and are poised to show the Big Ten what they're really made of. That's the hope at least. The Nolen injury (out 6 weeks) could be a big problem and we'll continue to monitor that.
HIGHLIGHTS: The Puerto Rico Tip-Off was an early test against high profile teams and the Gophers were expected to do well, but not favored to win it all, which is exactly what they did. Wins over North Carolina and West Virginia, two big time programs, solidified the Gophers as contenders for the Big Ten and NCAA Tournament, not just participants.
LOWLIGHTS: On November 29th, the Gophers reminded us all what the definition of humble is. Their home loss to Virginia, an ACC foe, but a regular ACC bottom feeder, was a wake up call that nothing is going to be easy and no team should be taken for granted.
OUTLOOK: The Gophers finish their non-conference slate at home against Akron and neighboring South Dakota State. Neither team should be taken lightly. Akron nearly made the NCAA's last year after an OT loss to Ohio in their Championship game. South Dakota State is 7-2 on the season and have already won on the road against a Big Ten team this year, at Iowa November 14th. Big Ten season starts on the road against Wisconsin on December 28th, then the madness really begins!
MINNESOTA TWINS - "Waiting in Vain" -Bob Marley
Record (2010): 94-68 AL Central Champs, Lost in ALDS to Yankees 0-3
Rankings (Hot Stove): 6th FoxSports.com
The Twins have been relatively quiet this offseason so far. The biggest noise made so far is the trade of JJ Hardy to the Baltimore Orioles (not too mention the dumping of Brendon Harris) for right handed Minor League pitchers Jim Hoey and Brett Jacobson. Getting rid of Hardy seemed to be a foregone conclusion when it was announced the Twins won the exclusive rights to strike up a contract with 26-year old Japanese shortstop Tsuyoshi Nishioka.
HIGHLIGHTS: The trade of Hardy and impending signing (hopefully) o
f Nishioka rids the Twins of a player that underperformed and was riddled with injuries in his only season in Minnesota. Ron Gardenhire finally won the coveted AL Manager of the year award for a brilliant season directing the Twins to another postseason with a banged up roster. This award is for the regular season only, otherwise Ron Washington would have picked it up. Our Ron gives us a chance to win every year, whether you think he's the right man for the job or not. If his playoff struggles continue, that could cost him a job, but for 162 games, I'm not sure how many really great managers there are out there, and we have a good one right here, and the Twins have elected to keep Gardenhire on for another 3 years at least.LOWLIGHTS: Today's news was a little somber as a long time Twin has departed and is heading to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Matt Guerrier signed a 3 year contract with the boys in blue and has spent his entire 7 year career with the Twins. A durable workhorse out of the bullpen, and a great character guy in the clubhouse, the Twins will definitely miss his contributions.
OUTLOOK: It's only December, meaning there's still another 3 months until spring training, but the Twins have a lot of work to do. The biggest of which is deciding on whether to re-sign Carl Pavano and Jim Thome, 2 veterans that proved that each has a lot left in the tank and is worthy of their place on the roster. Pavano is openly shopping and may be more interested in the highest bidder. In just 1 and half seasons though, he's created a loyal mustache following unlike anyone else in the league and would be a sad sight not to have the Stache at Target Field next year. Jim Thome did everything but upset Twins fans last year. I challenge you to find a Twins fan that has bad things to say about Thome. Despite the fact he turned 40 this year, and had about half his normal at bats, Thome still led the Twins with 25 homeruns. He's got a lot left in the tank and has the enthusiasm and energy that ballclubs love to have in the clubhouse and on the field. He's also earned a big raise from last year. The question is whether the Twins want to pay that raise or let Thome get it from someone else. For now, we'll take a cue and relax with Bob Marley as we wait in vain on the Minnesota Twins.
GOPHERS HOCKEY "Where are You Going?" - Dave Matthews Band
Record: 9-7-2 overall, 6-6-2 WCHA
Rankings: 17th USA Today, 19th US College Hockey Online
The Gophers find themselves in middle ground right now, not out of it by any means, but
certainly not leading the way either. And they haven't proven anything lately, since Thanksgiving, the Gophers are 2-3-1, with consecutive losses to an inferior Minnesota State team. Where are you going Gophers Hockey? We would all like to know.HIGHLIGHTS: Their weekend series against UMD grants a little hope for a 2nd half surge. The Gophers took the first game and split the 2nd, walking away without a loss to a team ranked in the top 5 in the nation, let alone the WCHA.
LOWLIGHTS: The back to back losses to the Mavericks of Minnesota State definitely sting. To leave Mankato without even so much as a tie will keeps Minnesota from joining the upper echelon of the WCHA.
OUTLOOK: The Gophers schedule is about to get a whole lot harder. They have non-conference games versus two teams ahead of them in the rankings in Ferris State and Union, followed by amatchup with the USA under 18 team. Then they're back in WCHA action, but on the road against conference juggernaut North Dakota for a pair. Will the team that showed its grit against UMD show up in the near future, or will the team that showed its weaknesses against Mankato come to play. Gopher Fans hope for the latter.
MINNESOTA WILD "Pass Me By" - Frank Sinatra
Record: 13-12-4, 3rd Northwest Division, 13th in Western Conference
Power Rankings: 22nd ESPN, 22nd Sports Illustrated
The Wild can be crooning with Franky lately as everyone near them, including anyone close to Nickolas Backstrom, has passed on by without much of a problem. On November 19th, the Wild were 10-6-2 and outperforming their expectations, giving the #1 hockey fans a lot of hope that the Wild were more than we thought they were. Since the 19th, the Wild are 3-6-2 and have fallen back to where many predicted they would be.
HIGHLIGHTS: The Wild have are coming off a 4 game road trip where they went 2-1-1. The two wins came against Los Angeles and Phoenix, both of whom are ahead of the Wild and in the thick of the playoff race.
LOWLIGHTS: Unable to keep momentum going from the 2
wins above, the Wild finished their road trip by getting blown out by Anaheim, a good team, but comparable to Los Angeles and Phoenix. The legs could have been weary from the long trip, it'll be interesting to see if the wins were a fluke or something they can build on.OUTLOOK: Pierre Marc-Bouchard is back after missing over 100 games because of a concussion. This is a good sign for a team hoping to fight for a bottom playoff spot. The Wild's next 3 games are against losing teams, at Ottawa and a home and away with Calgary. This will be a great time to take advantage of the schedule, as the end of December brings in power playoff teams Colorado, Detroit, Columbus, and San Jose.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS - "Till I Collapse" - Eminem
Record: 5-8, 3rd in NFC North, 10th in NFC Conference
Power Rankings: 21st Sports Illustrated, 26th ESPN
The chorus of Eminem's song begins like this: Till, the roof comes off, till the lights go out, till my legs give out, can't shut my mouth...Well I'm hear to say that all of these things have come to pass in the last month for our Vikings and we can all save our voices for next year. The roof literally came down during the huge blizzard last weekend, forcing the Vikings to play a "home game" in Detroit of all places. The team's playoff lights went out with there loss to the Giants, and BrettFavre's legs finally gave out.
HIGHLIGHTS: For the 1st time all year, the Vikings won consecutive games, albeit to two non-playoff teams, the Redskins and Bills. But we need to find a silver lining in what might come down as the most disappointing season in recent memory, if not the Vikings entire history.
LOWLIGHTS: Too many. The team has 8 losses, meaning the best finish will only end up at .500. The "home loss" to the NY Giants was deflating, because a 9-7 record would have at least kept things interesting, even though it's likely a team needs to be 10-6 to make the NFC playoffs sans the eventual and pitiful NFC West Champ. The pressing need for a QB was highlighted after T-Jack failed to perform anything worthy of an NFL starter.
OUTLOOK: 3 games remain for this lame duck team. The next game is Monday night (Dec. 20th) at another new home for the Vikings, the University of Minnesota TCF Bank Stadium. The Metrodome roof collapse could actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. With the Vikings out of the playoffs and Favre's streak over, the team doesn't have a lot to be press worthy of, until the roof collapsed! Media coverage from around the world have focused on Minneapolis and the first outdoor NFL game here in 29 years. The logistics of moving the Vikings toTCF Bank stadium in less than a week are amazing. What normally would take months to schedule and organize, must be done in 6 days, including clearing multiple feet of snow and preparing a stadium built for Fall weather. Green Bay might have the frozen tundra, but the Vikings will have their own frozen ground, playing on a non-heated surface. Regardless, there is still buzz in this town about the game and the Vikings, just the recipe needed for a team desperate to keep their fans (and the legislature) interested in Vikings football beyond 2010.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - Rolling Stones
Record: 6-19 5th Northwest, 13th in Western Conference
Power Rankings: 23rd Sports Illustrated, 25th ESPN
If Mick Jagger was talking about the 2010-11 Minnesota Timberwolves, he'd be dead on singing to the tune of this classic hit. If an NBA game only lasted 3 quarters, the Timberwolves would be in the conversation of a playoff spot. The Timberwolves have had no problem getting double digit leads, but they've had all the pain in the world, keeping those leads and finding a way to the W column in the box score. On November 17th, the T-Wolves were 4-9, not great, but at least enough to keep people interested. Since then, the Wolves have gone 2-10 and have reminded everyone that there is still a long way to go.
HIGH
LIGHTS: Since wins are hard to come by, let's highlight a couple players standing out this season. Michael Beasley and Kevin Love are quickly on their way to stardom. Don't give up on Beasley just because the Miami Heat did. The Heat had to cut him with the entrance of the Big 3. Beasley is proving why any team would be glad to have his services. His 21.2 points per game are good for 15th in the league. Kevin Love on the other hand is establishing himself as the new Rebounding King in the NBA. Love posted the first 30/30 game in 28 years and hasn't let up all year, averaging 15.2 boards/game, which is far and away the best in the league (2nd place Zach Randolph 12.3).LOWLIGHTS: There are a lot to pick from with the recent stretch of losses, however I'll highlight 2 from the same team: the San Antonio Spurs. At 20-3, the Spurs are the best team in the entire NBA, but for 6 of eight quarters the Minnesota Timberwolves were better. On November 24th, the Wolves, led by Kevin Love's 32 points and 22 rebounds had the Spurs on the ropes and led by as much as 20, and 11 to start the 4th quarter, ran out of gas. The Spurs forced an OT and held Minnesota to just 3 points for the win. Just a week later, the Timberwolves met the Spurs in San Antonio for another game. The Timberwolves hung with the Spurs in the first half and amazing spurted away in the 3rd quarter, building a 15 point lead to start the 4th. Again, if only they played 3 quarters. The 4th quarter was all Spurs, erasing the lead and taking the game by 6 points, despite a great effort and 28 points by Beasley.
OUTLOOK: The Timberwolves play 5 of their next 6 games on the road, where they can claim only 1 victory. This stretch will really test their wits and pride. The season is a loss in terms of the playoffs, but the team can win over there fans with aggressive energetic play and reasons to believe that with another high draft pick, the team can return to the playoffs sooner rather than later. Love & Beasley have done just that, now is the time for Webster, Ridnour, Darko, Johnson, and Flynn to live up and make the rest of us believers.
GOPHERS FOOTBALL "Killing Me Softly" - Roberta Flack
Record: 3-9, (2-6) - Finished 10th in Big Ten
Ranking: 86th Sagarin Football Rankings
The Gophers Football team finished off a dreadful season where they fired long time loser head coach Tim Brewster, lost to FCS foe South Dakota, and had a 9 game losing streak. The Gophers were headed toward a 1-11 record, but found strength at the end of the season to avoid double digit losses by winning the last 2 games and finishing 3-9. After the season, Gophers AD Joel Maturi promised the fans and boosters he'd be bringing in a big name coach,
just like he did with Tubby Smith in basketball. So when the news arrived the Gophers were hiring Jerry Kill, Maturi all killed us softly with his choice. Kill's Northern Illinois Huskies came in and beat the Gophers at TCF Bank stadium in what turned out to be an audition for his future. The Huskies finished 10-3, but lost in the MAC Conference championship game to Miami (OH). Maturi is a MAC guy and its no surprise he couldn't land a big name coach. That and Minnesota is just a tough place to recruit players, let alone head coaches.HIGHLIGHTS: The biggest win on the season was saved for the last game. On November 27th, the Golden Gophers pulled off a golden upset of border rival Iowa 27-24. The Hawkeyes, ranked 24th at the time, finished their season by losing a heavily favored game, regulated Iowa to a mid-tier bowl, after early season hopes of smelling the roses. The Gophers won back the pig, Floyd of Rosedale, and did what Brewster couldn't do, win a trophy game. The loss in the least gave Gophers fans something to hold onto for the long cold, bitter winter ahead.
LOWLIGHTS: The hiring of Kill by the numbers looks good. The guy has won every where he's gone. The problem is he's gone from High School to Division 2, to a mid-major Division 1. This is by far his biggest job and he'll be seeing the best talent day in and day out come the Big Ten schedule. UNI's strength of schedule this year was 122, compared to the Gophers 38th. Kill will have to win to attract recruits, a task that has come with many difficulties at the U.
OUTLOOK: The Gophers will be starting a new era next year, not only will it be Kill time, but there will be a new QB under center for the first time in 5 years. Adam Weber graduates after setting many school records, mainly based on the fact that he played so many games to accumulate those stats. Regardless, he was a fine quarterback, not flashy, but consistent. Marquis Gray is in line for the job, he's waited more than most people would and he'll bring in a mobile style contrast to what we've been seeing with Weber. Whether that and Kill's coaching leads to more wins, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Well that's it for the 3rd installment of the Minnesota Sports Misery Rankings. I'm sorry I couldn't bring you any better news, but I hope you found the silver linings you were looking for.
Until next time, remember when shoveling, lift with your knees.
bsv
the courtesy wave
No comments:
Post a Comment